Swiss Quality

Precision

The Swiss are said to be like clockwork: precise, accurate and efficient. Ask about Switzerland, and watches are one of the first things to spring to mind. The Swiss watch industry is the number one showcase sector. The craft of the Swiss watchmaker has its roots in the second half of the 16th century in Geneva. One of the most important trades in this city at that time was the art of the goldsmith. Under Calvin, the religious reformer, the public display of wealth and luxury and the wearing of jewellery were forbidden, so goldsmiths had to search for other outlets for their art. The Huguenots had just introduced the manufacture of wearable watches to Geneva: the union between the art of the goldsmith and the craft of the watchmaker was born. Calvin's obsession with punctuality is also thought to have encouraged the development of watch-making in Geneva. What is certain is that the Swiss first became associated with precision and punctually under 16th century Calvinism. Precision as a feature of Swiss quality is found today in many branches of industry. Thus, Switzerland is respected worldwide as a supplier of specialized tools and machines, and high-precision parts and components for the car and aviation industries.